A close finish in the men’s 3000m was among the highlights at athletics meet at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday.
Less than a second separated 16-year-olds Nathan Hill and Jack McNaughton at the finish line, as Hill claimed a narrow win, running 9:01.11. The Leith athlete has been the region’s most consistent over 1500m this year and showed his ability over the longer distance. He was pushed all the way by Invercargill athlete McNaughton, of St Paul’s, who finished in 9:02.05. Caversham runner Jonah Smith came in third in 9:29.51.
In the 100m, 2016 national championship silver medallist Scott Walker, of Christchurch Old Boys ran 11.24sec, but was pipped by 20-year-old James Sandilands, also of Christchurch Old Boys, who ran 11.13. Christchurch Old Boys took honours in the women’s event as well, with Fiona Morrison running 12.21 to comfortably get home from Fiona Centers and Anna Perry, both of whom ran 12.49.
Walker claimed a win in the 200m however, finishing in 22.68, while 19-year-old Perry, of Christchurch Old Boys, won the women’s race in 25.08.
In the field, Taieri Paralympic gold medallist Anna Grimaldi jumped 5.09m on her second attempt to win the women’s long jump, while Cameron Miller won the men’s event with 5.74m.
Ethan Walker backed up his national secondary schools gold medal with a throw of 45.66m in the 14-and-under javelin, while Flynn Berkett won the 15-17 grade with 41.57m. Laura Overton won the women’s event with 42.55m, beating Paralympic silver medallist Holly Robinson, who threw 38.42m.
Hugh McLeod-Jones once again delivered impressive performances in the shot put and discus, throwing 13.75m and 40.97m. Todd Bates was the best of the hammer throwers, with 50.11m.
